2008 Chicago Jazz Fest One to Remember

August 28 - 31, 2008

Story by Brad Walseth
Photos by James Walker (digital) &
Brad Walseth (film)

My favorite time of the year is now passed, but I have so many great memories from the stellar 2008 session of the Chicago Jazz Fest.

My personal highlight was the incredible set by Dee Dee Bridgewater (her version of Nina Simone's "Four Women" to close gives me chills still). Eight Bold Souls and Dee Alexander put on an incredible set, while Dave Douglas, Eddie Palmieri (with Donald Harrison, Brian Lynch & Conrad Herwig) Pharez Whitted and Vijay Iyer all put on great sets on the mainstage, as did Ron Dewar, who played the very first Jazz Fest.

Sonny Rollins was great at Millenium Park to open the Fest. The Jackson stage featured great work by local favorites, Corey Wilkes, Art Hoyle, Larry Gray, Billy Branch, Ari Brown, Robert Irving III, Harrison Bankhead, Robert Shy, Rick Heath; guitarists Buddy Fambro, George Freeman, John Moulder, Jeff Parker, Curtis Robinson and Jim Pierce; pianists John Wright, Willie Pickens, Bob Dogan and Jim Trompeter; and lovely and talented ladies Alison Ruble, Jo Ann Daughtery and Lady T. And young trumpet star Sean Jones was on fire on his set. Meanwhile, the Jazz & Heritage stage featured a sizzling set from James Sanders' Conjunto, Nicole Mitchell leading a hot Kenwood H.S. band, lectures and jams.

The AACM and Franz Jackson tributes were great, and the avant garde crowd enjoyed Isotope 217, Josh Berman and his Gang and the interesting Instant Composers Pool from the Netherlands. Ornette Coleman also was fantastic, but it was Gerald Wilson still leading an orchestra that included special guest guitarist Kenny Burrell whose exuberance on his 90th birthday that may indeed be the most lasting memory of all.